Klebsiella pneumoniae Glycoconjugate Vaccine Leads Based on Semi-Synthetic O1 and O2ac Antigens.

Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is a common opportunistic pathogen that emerged as a new critical threat to human health, due to its hypervirulence and widespread resistance against many antibiotics, including carbapenems. Alternative intervention strategies such as vaccines are not available.  Cell-surface lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and capsular polysaccharides (CPS) are attractive targets for vaccine development.

Effects of immersion bathing in Lactobacillus plantarum CLY-05 on the growth performance, non-specific immune enzyme activities and gut microbiota of Apostichopus japonicus.

In order to study the optimal use of Lactobacillus plantarum in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), 49 days feeding trial was conducted to determine the influence of immersion bathing in different concentrations of Lactobacillus plantarum CLY-05 on body weight gain rate and non-specific immune activities. The potential effect of CLY-05 on gut microbiota was also analyzed during the immersion bathing at the optimum concentration. The results showed that the body weight growth rate of all bathing groups was higher than that of control.

HIV-1 exploits LBPA-dependent intraepithelial trafficking for productive infection of human intestinal mucosa.

The gastrointestinal tract is a prominent portal of entry for HIV-1 during sexual or perinatal transmission, as well as a major site of HIV-1 persistence and replication. Elucidation of underlying mechanisms of intestinal HIV-1 infection are thus needed for the advancement of HIV-1 curative therapies. Here, we present a human 2D intestinal immuno-organoid system to model HIV-1 disease that recapitulates tissue compartmentalization and epithelial-immune cellular interactions.

Role of Toll-like receptor 2 during infection of Leptospira spp: A systematic review.

The involvement of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) in leptospirosis is poorly understood. Our systematic review examined its role across in-vitro, in-vivo, ex-vivo, and human studies. Original articles published in English up to January 2024, exploring the role of TLR2 during leptospirosis, were selected from databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Trip, and Google Scholar.

Shrimp allergen extract immunotherapy induces prolonged immune tolerance in a gastro-food allergy mouse model.

Food allergies are a global health problem that continues to grow annually, with a prevalence of more than 10%. Shrimp allergy is the most common and life-threatening allergy. There is no cure for food allergies, but shrimp allergen extract (SAE) offers promise as a treatment through allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT).

A novel strain of Leishmania braziliensis harbors not a toti- but a bunyavirus.

Leishmania is a genus of the family Trypanosomatidae that unites obligatory parasitic flagellates causing a variety of vector-borne diseases collectively called leishmaniasis. The symptoms range from relatively innocuous skin lesions to complete failures of visceral organs. The disease is exacerbated if a parasite harbors Leishmania RNA viruses (LRVs) of the family Pseudototiviridae.

Genetic Association of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis With Adult Rheumatic Disease.

Importance: Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) may develop adult rheumatic diseases later in life, and prolonged or recurrent disease activity is often associated with substantial disability; therefore, it is important to identify patients with JIA at high risk of developing adult rheumatic diseases and provide specialized attention and preventive care to them.

Objective: To elucidate the full extent of the genetic association of JIA with adult rheumatic diseases, to improve treatment strategies and patient outcomes for patients at high risk of developing long-term rheumatic diseases.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this genetic association study of 4 disease genome-wide association study (GWAS) cohorts from 2013 to 2024 (JIA, rheumatoid arthritis [RA], systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], and systemic sclerosis [SSc]), patients in the JIA cohort were recruited from the US, Australia, and Norway (with a UK cohort included in the meta-analyzed cohort), while patients in the other 3 cohorts were recruited from US and Western European countries.

Seroprevalence of Naegleria fowleri in the Houston-Galveston Texas Population.

Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba and the causative agent of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare yet almost always fatal disease that primarily affects children. While only 431 PAM cases have been reported worldwide, the southern states of the United States, including Texas, report the highest number of cases. Despite the high mortality of the disease, studies have identified antibodies to N.

TFEB Phase Separation Mediates the Amelioration Effect of Intermittent Fasting on Inflammatory Colitis.

Intermittent fasting (IF) has been shown to ameliorate inflammation including DSS-induced colitis. It is well known that autophagy can limit inflammation and TFEB is a master transcriptional factor that regulates the processes of autophagy. However, whether TFEB is involved in the regulation of IF-mediated amelioration of inflammation and its mechanism remained unclear.

Clinical Features and Transition of Acute Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Acute hepatitis B (AHB) is generally a self-limiting illness in adults and most patients achieve hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance within 6 months. We aimed to investigate the proportion and influencing factors of chronic outcome in adult AHB patients. A total of 126 consecutive AHB patients were included between January 2013 and October 2018.

Effects of Powder on the Growth Performance, Immune Organ Weights, Cecal Microbiology, Serum Immunoglobulins, and Tibia Minerals of Broiler Chickens.

A total of 640 one-day-old Cobb 500 MV × Cobb 500 FF mixed broilers were randomly assigned to one of four experimental treatments with four replicates per treatment and 40 birds per replicate for 32 days. The treatments consisted of a basal diet (control group), basal diet + 0.02% zinc bacitracin (AGP group), basal diet + 0.

Eco-evolutionary dynamics of adapting pathogens and host immunity.

As pathogens spread in a population of hosts, immunity is built up, and the pool of susceptible individuals are depleted. This generates selective pressure, to which many human RNA viruses, such as influenza virus or SARS-CoV-2, respond with rapid antigenic evolution and frequent emergence of immune evasive variants. However, the host's immune systems adapt, and older immune responses wane, such that escape variants only enjoy a growth advantage for a limited time.

Telomere length sensitive regulation of interleukin receptor 1 type 1 (IL1R1) by the shelterin protein TRF2 modulates immune signalling in the tumour microenvironment.

Telomeres are crucial for cancer progression. Immune signalling in the tumour microenvironment has been shown to be very important in cancer prognosis. However, the mechanisms by which telomeres might affect tumour immune response remain poorly understood.

Target protein identification in live cells and organisms with a non-diffusive proximity tagging system.

Identifying target proteins for bioactive molecules is essential for understanding their mechanisms, developing improved derivatives, and minimizing off-target effects. Despite advances in target identification (target-ID) technologies, significant challenges remain, impeding drug development. Most target-ID methods use cell lysates, but maintaining an intact cellular context is vital for capturing specific drug-protein interactions, such as those with transient protein complexes and membrane-associated proteins.

Pan African Vivax and Ovale Network (PAVON) Malaria Diagnostic Competency Training: Offering Training Opportunities to Impact Malaria Elimination Strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PAVON has developed a malaria microscopy competency training scheme to augment competency in malaria microscopy. Here, data accrued from training activities between 2020 and 2023 in Botswana are presented. Three trainings were done for 37 central and peripheral level technicians for a two-week period.

HLA Class I and II Alleles in Anti-Acetylcholine Receptor Antibodies Positive and Double-Seronegative Myasthenia Gravis Patients of Romanian Descent.

: Several significant associations between certain Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) alleles and myasthenia gravis (MG) subtypes were established in populations from Western Europe and North America and, to a lesser extent, from China and Japan. However, such data are scarcely available for Eastern Europe. This study aimed to analyze the associations of HLA Class I and II alleles with MG and its serological subtypes (with anti-acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies, RAch+MG, and double-seronegative, dSNMG) in myasthenic patients of Romanian descent.

Rat Models in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Research: Strengths, Limitations, and Implications for Translational Studies.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a multifaceted psychiatric disorder triggered by traumatic events, leading to prolonged psychological distress and varied symptoms. Rat models have been extensively used to explore the biological, behavioral, and neurochemical underpinnings of PTSD. This review critically examines the strengths and limitations of commonly used rat models, such as single prolonged stress (SPS), stress-re-stress (S-R), and predator-based paradigms, in replicating human PTSD pathology.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: microRNA Takes Center Stage.

The Journal Editorial Board Members would like to congratulate Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who were jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNAs and the role of microRNAs in post-transcriptional gene regulation, uncovering a previously unknown layer of gene control in eukaryotes [...

Ocular adnexal lymphoma - A single-center observational study of survival outcomes.

Purpose: This study aims to comprehensively characterize the clinical, demographic, and histopathological features of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) and assess their impact on patients' survival outcomes.

Methods: A total of 123 patients were included in the study; of these, 93 patients were selected for survival analysis. Survival data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier test, and correlation was assessed through the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis.

Molecular Mimicry Between Gut Microbiome and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Current Concepts.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents an autoimmune condition impacted by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, with the gut microbiome (GMB) being one of the influential environmental factors. Patients with RA display notable modifications in the composition of their GMB, characterised by decreased diversity and distinct bacterial alterations. The GMB, comprising an extensive array of approximately 35,000 bacterial species residing within the gastrointestinal tract, has garnered considerable attention as a pivotal contributor to both human health and the pathogenesis of diseases.

Impact of Endocrine Disruptors on the Genitourinary Tract.

Over the last decades, the human species has seen an increase in the incidence of pathologies linked to the genitourinary tract. Observations in animals have allowed us to link these increases, at least in part, to changes in the environment and, in particular, to an increasing presence of endocrine disruptors. These can be physical agents, such as light or heat; natural products, such as phytoestrogens; or chemicals produced by humans.

Newborn Screening for Six Primary Conditions in a Clinical Setting in Morocco.

Unlabelled: Newborn screening (NBS) represents an important public health measure for the early detection of specified disorders; such screening can prevent disability and death, not only from metabolic disorders but also from endocrine, hematologic, immune, and cardiac disorders. Screening for critical congenital conditions affecting newborns' health is a great challenge, especially in developing countries such as Morocco, where NBS program infrastructure is lacking. In addition, the consanguinity rate is high in Morocco.

Regulatory Role of Vacuolar Calcium Transport Proteins in Growth, Calcium Signaling, and Cellulase Production in .

Recent research has revealed the calcium signaling significance in the production of cellulases in . While vacuoles serve as the primary calcium storage within cells, the function of vacuolar calcium transporter proteins in this process remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a functional characterization of four vacuolar calcium transport proteins in .

Analyses of the Genetic Diversity and Population Structures of spp. Clinical Isolates from Paraíba, Brazil.

Unlabelled: Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis of global distribution, capable of affecting both humans and animals, and caused by species of the genus spp. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity and mating type distribution of clinical isolates of human sporotrichosis in Paraíba, Brazil, to better understand the population structure, epidemiology, and diversification of this pathogen, as well as to explore possible transmission routes.

Methods: A total of 36 clinical isolates were morphologically identified, and clinical and demographic data were collected.

Resynthesis of Damaged Fe-S Cluster Proteins Protects Against Oxidative Stress in the Absence of Mn-Superoxide Dismutase.

The importance of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), an evolutionarily ancient metalloenzyme that maintains the integrity and function of mitochondria, was studied in oxidative stress-treated cultures. Deletion of the Mn-SOD gene () increased both the menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB)-elicited oxidative stress and the deferiprone (DFP)-induced iron limitation stress sensitivity of the strain. Moreover, DFP treatment enhanced the MSB sensitivity of both the gene deletion mutant and the reference strain.